' We were excellent for the first 65 minutes '

People can throw stats around all they want, but the reality is, any manager would struggle being put in the impossible position Slade has been put in. After a good start from Slade, 12 million was shaved off the wage bill and Slade was instructed by Tan not to play Guerra, Daehli and our other high earners. Juan Cala's comments proved that and it's been a transitional period where Slade has brought in replacements for peanuts and waited for them to gel into the squad.

Our home form lately has been very disappointing, but I think we have been very unlucky not to pick up better results from our last 3 home games. 1 point from our last 3 home games does not reflect our improved performances at all. I didn't see the Blackburn game, but I still think we were ridiculously unlucky home to Wolves and for the first 65 minutes yesterday, we were by far the better team and I don't remember Charlton having a single shot on goal.

Before kick off, I was slating Slade's selection. Why change a winning team and why play 2 lazy buggers up front and put Whittingham back in our midfield? I was expecting a poor performance with our starting line up, but Whittingham had a good game and Kenwyne Jones worked hard. For the first 65 minutes, we were 1-0 up and looking good. Unfortunately, from 65 minutes onwards, we couldn't keep up our intensity and we ran out of steam. Jones was doing his own running, plus the lazy Macheda's running. So when Jones ran out of steam, both strikers were taken out of the game and when Whittingham went off to change his shirt, we were effectively down to 8 players.

This is where Charlton grew into the game, they brought on Chris Eagles, a player with supreme talent who I've always rated and after putting a 5-10 minute spell together having a go at us, they equalised. It was a poor goal to give away, Sean Morrison seemed more concerned about lazily sticking his arm up to appeal for something than going out to mark their winger, so their winger had all the time in the world to pick out Tony Watt to score. The cross should have been stopped by Morrison but it was poor marking in the box as well. When Charlton equalised, it gave them a lift.

I will blame Slade here, Macheda should have been replaced by Doyle when Charlton started coming into the game. We needed fresh legs up front to continue pushing Charlton back. Our energy levels dropped and who better than Doyle to come on to give us the added pace, energy and endeavour he offers? Unfortunately, we faded, Charlton finished stronger, the wrong striker Alex Revell was warming up for what seemed like 15 minutes and when Revell finally came on at around 81 minutes, we had lost all our momentum and confidence. Shortly after, Morrison gives away the stupid penalty and the game was lost.

I keep banging on about what a clumsy, cumbersome carthorse Morrison is. He's a liability who makes countless, glaring mistakes to put us on the back foot. He has got away with it since Manga has returned, as Manga is the best centre back in the league and any centre back would look decent alongside Manga at this level. But I'm hoping this is now one mistake too many. Get Connolly in the middle, switch Peltier to right back and play Ralls at left back!

We didn't deserve to lose and I saw enough in the first 65 minutes to suggest we are improving. We had 62% possession and 9 shots on goal at half time. The results at home aren't going for us and we are not the finished article yet. But our performances are definitely improving and I think it's just a matter of time before we start picking up the results at home our improved performances deserve.

Some very valid points made there but you know what the reply to your post can be.

The game lasts 90 minutes and not once under Slade have we played well for the whole of a game.

Some very valid points made there but you know what the reply to your post can be.

The game lasts 90 minutes and not once under Slade have we played well for the whole of a game.

I agree with that and that's why I blamed Slade for not putting fresh legs on sooner. It was unfortunate McAleny went off injured because I thought he was having a good game. If McAleny wasn't injured, I would have swapped the 2 strikers around to give us that extra push of energy required up front to push them back and see us through.

BEST HONEST POST OF YESTERDAYS PERFORMANCE

Ross, I do agree we did not deserve to lose, but I also feel we never deserved to win either

But whats your opinion of Charlton yesterday?

This says a lot for me
Cardiff City's last 10 home games versus Championship sides: DLLWLLDDLL
and only 3 wins from our last 17 League games.

Also are you happy with the quality of football your watching at present?

I do by the way enjoy your reports as I have told you in the past

Do you think we are improving?

Excellent until two goals conceded and three more home points thrown away.

No good being excellent for a bit of a game and hopeless for the rest. That is exactly what Slade has built - a team that week in week out cannot perform for 90 minutes. Perhaps we should ask the FA to let us play for only an hour.

Nothing but a consistent run of better results will suffice. Playing good football for parts of matches and then losing virtually every home game will not bring the missing hordes back.

I thought we started the game well, but excellent?
Other than Noone's good effort can't really remember a goal threat, can remember quite a few wasted corners

Ross, I do agree we did not deserve to lose, but I also feel we never deserved to win either

But whats your opinion of Charlton yesterday?


This says a lot for me
Cardiff City's last 10 home games versus Championship sides: DLLWLLDDLL
and only 3 wins from our last 17 League games.

Also are you happy with the quality of football your watching at present?

I do by the way enjoy your reports as I have told you in the past


Do you think we are improving?

Hi Annis, I thought Charlton were very ordinary and we really should have killed them off after going a goal up yesterday. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam, Charlton put together their first spell of constant pressure all game and equalised. Goals change games, the equaliser gave Charlton a lift and we had nothing left, we couldn't up our intensity again and have another go at them. Like I said, Slade should have put fresh legs on up front sooner but I suppose 2 subs were already used and Slade wanted to wait a bit longer in case we had yet another injury.

I was happy with our first 65 minutes. The past 2 home games have seen us passing and moving the ball around well. It's a big improvement on earlier in the season where we were knocking aimless long balls and couldn't string more than 2 passes together. Granted, we aren't slicing teams open, but it's nice to see us keeping the ball and trying to do the right things, so I think we are making positive strides forwards. Just my opinion of course.

People can throw stats around all they want, but the reality is, any manager would struggle being put in the impossible position Slade has been put in. After a good start from Slade, 12 million was shaved off the wage bill and Slade was instructed by Tan not to play Guerra, Daehli and our other high earners. Juan Cala's comments proved that and it's been a transitional period where Slade has brought in replacements for peanuts and waited for them to gel into the squad.

Our home form lately has been very disappointing, but I think we have been very unlucky not to pick up better results from our last 3 home games. 1 point from our last 3 home games does not reflect our improved performances at all. I didn't see the Blackburn game, but I still think we were ridiculously unlucky home to Wolves and for the first 65 minutes yesterday, we were by far the better team and I don't remember Charlton having a single shot on goal.

Before kick off, I was slating Slade's selection. Why change a winning team and why play 2 lazy buggers up front and put Whittingham back in our midfield? I was expecting a poor performance with our starting line up, but Whittingham had a good game and Kenwyne Jones worked hard. For the first 65 minutes, we were 1-0 up and looking good. Unfortunately, from 65 minutes onwards, we couldn't keep up our intensity and we ran out of steam. Jones was doing his own running, plus the lazy Macheda's running. So when Jones ran out of steam, both strikers were taken out of the game and when Whittingham went off to change his shirt, we were effectively down to 8 players.

This is where Charlton grew into the game, they brought on Chris Eagles, a player with supreme talent who I've always rated and after putting a 5-10 minute spell together having a go at us, they equalised. It was a poor goal to give away, Sean Morrison seemed more concerned about lazily sticking his arm up to appeal for something than going out to mark their winger, so their winger had all the time in the world to pick out Tony Watt to score. The cross should have been stopped by Morrison but it was poor marking in the box as well. When Charlton equalised, it gave them a lift.

I will blame Slade here, Macheda should have been replaced by Doyle when Charlton started coming into the game. We needed fresh legs up front to continue pushing Charlton back. Our energy levels dropped and who better than Doyle to come on to give us the added pace, energy and endeavour he offers? Unfortunately, we faded, Charlton finished stronger, the wrong striker Alex Revell was warming up for what seemed like 15 minutes and when Revell finally came on at around 81 minutes, we had lost all our momentum and confidence. Shortly after, Morrison gives away the stupid penalty and the game was lost.

I keep banging on about what a clumsy, cumbersome carthorse Morrison is. He's a liability who makes countless, glaring mistakes to put us on the back foot. He has got away with it since Manga has returned, as Manga is the best centre back in the league and any centre back would look decent alongside Manga at this level. But I'm hoping this is now one mistake too many. Get Connolly in the middle, switch Peltier to right back and play Ralls at left back!

We didn't deserve to lose and I saw enough in the first 65 minutes to suggest we are improving. We had 62% possession and 9 shots on goal at half time. The results at home aren't going for us and we are not the finished article yet. But our performances are definitely improving and I think it's just a matter of time before we start picking up the results at home our improved performances deserve.

I think "excellent" is hyperbole. We were ok but apart from McAleny certainly nothing great. However Noone played better than gor a while and Whittingham was a little more conspicuous than usual. We were also unlucky to lose Gunnarsson so early in my opinion. However, this was a poor Charlton team there for the taking, unusually they offered nothing in midfield and this allowed Whittingham to be seen with the ball a bit more.

But surely the main talking point was why Slade changed a winning side. No matter if you sit on the pro or anti Whittingham fence, it was a pretty clueless thing for a manager to do, as Gary Bell pointed out yesterday? What message does it send out to younger players eho perform well (Ralls MOM Tuesday) and what competition does it create for places? Slade would have been in a couldntmlose position had he kept the Tuesday side, and whatever the result it would have cemented his authority! No matter what your opinion of performances etc this clueless management will be the death of us!

Ross, I do agree we did not deserve to lose, but I also feel we never deserved to win either

But whats your opinion of Charlton yesterday?


This says a lot for me
Cardiff City's last 10 home games versus Championship sides: DLLWLLDDLL
and only 3 wins from our last 17 League games.

Also are you happy with the quality of football your watching at present?

I do by the way enjoy your reports as I have told you in the past


Do you think we are improving?

Hi Annis, I thought Charlton were very ordinary and we really should have killed them off after going a goal up yesterday. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam, Charlton put together their first spell of constant pressure all game and equalised. Goals change games, the equaliser gave Charlton a lift and we had nothing left, we couldn't up our intensity again and have another go at them. Like I said, Slade should have put fresh legs on up front sooner but I suppose 2 subs were already used and Slade wanted to wait a bit longer in case we had yet another injury.

I was happy with our first 65 minutes. The past 2 home games have seen us passing and moving the ball around well. It's a big improvement on earlier in the season where we were knocking aimless long balls and couldn't string more than 2 passes together. Granted, we aren't slicing teams open, but it's nice to see us keeping the ball and trying to do the right things, so I think we are making positive strides forwards. Just my opinion of course.

Hi Ross,

I do agree when Charlton scored during that 10 minute period, that was there only real pressure, but thats what worries me, they were an ordinary/poor team who managed to beat us without playing well.
So for me under Slade we will struggle against the better teams.
I cant stand the long ball and it has to stop.

I do agree with you,the first 65 minutes we were the better team, but I dont think we played that well.

Ross,see you at Rotherham

Sat in the Grandstand today. Watching Dai Hunt in the director's box was much more entertaining than watching the game.
Slade out.

Ross, I do agree we did not deserve to lose, but I also feel we never deserved to win either

But whats your opinion of Charlton yesterday?


This says a lot for me
Cardiff City's last 10 home games versus Championship sides: DLLWLLDDLL
and only 3 wins from our last 17 League games.

Also are you happy with the quality of football your watching at present?

I do by the way enjoy your reports as I have told you in the past


Do you think we are improving?

Hi Annis, I thought Charlton were very ordinary and we really should have killed them off after going a goal up yesterday. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam, Charlton put together their first spell of constant pressure all game and equalised. Goals change games, the equaliser gave Charlton a lift and we had nothing left, we couldn't up our intensity again and have another go at them. Like I said, Slade should have put fresh legs on up front sooner but I suppose 2 subs were already used and Slade wanted to wait a bit longer in case we had yet another injury.

I was happy with our first 65 minutes. The past 2 home games have seen us passing and moving the ball around well. It's a big improvement on earlier in the season where we were knocking aimless long balls and couldn't string more than 2 passes together. Granted, we aren't slicing teams open, but it's nice to see us keeping the ball and trying to do the right things, so I think we are making positive strides forwards. Just my opinion of course.

Hi Ross,

I do agree when Charlton scored during that 10 minute period, that was there only real pressure, but thats what worries me, they were an ordinary/poor team who managed to beat us without playing well.
So for me under Slade we will struggle against the better teams.
I cant stand the long ball and it has to stop.

I do agree with you,the first 65 minutes we were the better team, but I dont think we played that well.

Ross,see you at Rotherham

I agree with that, but I like to think the way we played in the first 65 minutes made Charlton look ordinary as we restricted them. I seriously fancy us to get a result at Brentford and continue our good recent away form, but Bournemouth will be interesting as they hit teams direct through the middle with pace. Their quick, slick passing and moving will probably be too much for Whittingham and leave us exposed, especially when they hit us on the counter attack.

Decent report & I agree with most of 'improvement' side of it, however 'excellent' & Cardiff City can never be put in the same sentence together at the present time.
Tempo is the word here. We have none. Except for a 5 minute spell before we scored there was no pace & urgency, no quick movement or anything except laborious, tedious play.
Yes, I believe we were were slightly better than a poor Charlton side on the day & yes it's a slight improvement than recent games but, in general, I thought we were poor.

Ross, I do agree we did not deserve to lose, but I also feel we never deserved to win either

But whats your opinion of Charlton yesterday?


This says a lot for me
Cardiff City's last 10 home games versus Championship sides: DLLWLLDDLL
and only 3 wins from our last 17 League games.

Also are you happy with the quality of football your watching at present?

I do by the way enjoy your reports as I have told you in the past



as anyone noticed before yesterday cgarlton won 4 of last 5aw


Do you think we are improving?

Hi Annis, I thought Charlton were very ordinary and we really should have killed them off after going a goal up yesterday. Unfortunately, we ran out of steam, Charlton put together their first spell of constant pressure all game and equalised. Goals change games, the equaliser gave Charlton a lift and we had nothing left, we couldn't up our intensity again and have another go at them. Like I said, Slade should have put fresh legs on up front sooner but I suppose 2 subs were already used and Slade wanted to wait a bit longer in case we had yet another injury.

I was happy with our first 65 minutes. The past 2 home games have seen us passing and moving the ball around well. It's a big improvement on earlier in the season where we were knocking aimless long balls and couldn't string more than 2 passes together. Granted, we aren't slicing teams open, but it's nice to see us keeping the ball and trying to do the right things, so I think we are making positive strides forwards. Just my opinion of course.

Hi Ross,

I do agree when Charlton scored during that 10 minute period, that was there only real pressure, but thats what worries me, they were an ordinary/poor team who managed to beat us without playing well.
So for me under Slade we will struggle against the better teams.
I cant stand the long ball and it has to stop.

I do agree with you,the first 65 minutes we were the better team, but I dont think we played that well.

Ross,see you at Rotherham

I agree with that, but I like to think the way we played in the first 65 minutes made Charlton look ordinary as we restricted them. I seriously fancy us to get a result at Brentford and continue our good recent away form, but Bournemouth will be interesting as they hit teams direct through the middle with pace. Their quick, slick passing and moving will probably be too much for Whittingham and leave us exposed, especially when they hit us on the counter attack.

When Malone/Fabio comes back I think we should play Manga and Connolly as the two centre backs and play Malone/Fabio at LB and play Peltier RB

Decent report & I agree with most of 'improvement' side of it, however 'excellent' & Cardiff City can never be put in the same sentence together at the present time.
Tempo is the word here. We have none. Except for a 5 minute spell before we scored there was no pace & urgency, no quick movement or anything except laborious, tedious play.
Yes, I believe we were were slightly better than a poor Charlton side on the day & yes it's a slight improvement than recent games but, in general, I thought we were poor.

Agree more with this as a more realistic assessment in my opinion. We started the game positively and had a good spell leading up to our goal.
After that Charlton had to up their game as they would have taken a 0-0. The writing was on the wall and you could feel a goal coming for them. We didn't really deserve to lose but the sad thing is once they had equalised, they were the side more likely to get the winner.
The reaction off the bench for both their goals concerns me as much as our performances, no animation whatsoever, so how can we expect a reaction off the players?